


Red

by aidenxjames



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 20:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11608023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aidenxjames/pseuds/aidenxjames
Summary: Keith is an orphan, living in a group boy home surrounded by a thick forest, off limits to him and everyone in his town. Although when was Keith ever one to follow directions? Enough is enough and instead of hanging out with Lance like always, he disappears in the forest. What- or more like who he finds takes his breath away and everything he had ever known changes.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically not based on any original Red Riding Hood story, but more like inspired by RRH. This is also the first story I'm publishing to this site, don't slaughter me please.  
> Im also publishing the first three chapters all at once, c;

I met someone in the woods.

I have no excuse as to why I was in the woods in the first place. I’m forbidden from passing through them. Allura always told me about something bad lurking there, something that everyone feared. Yet sitting there in the grass as the sun rose, wind tickling my skin and brushing through the tall thick trees, it was silent and beautiful. My need to explore was itching, who was I to ever obey what others told me any ways?

I glanced over my shoulder back to my house, the one I shared with Allura and the other kids she had brought in. It was old, definitely needing a new paint job, or just to be rebuilt in general. Vines grew along the sides, splitting through cracked and splintered walls, making the house blend in It was full of everyone sleeping, no one woke up this early, it was the weekend after all. Except for me.

I would have only been in trouble if someone had caught me stand up and disappear past the wall of trees. They would simply wake up, find my empty cot, and figure I had gone off to meet with Lance or anything else than sit in that rotting house.

I easily found a trail not far from where my house was; luckily I’d be able to find my way back home. To make sure I didn’t miss this spot on my way back, I took the dagger I always carried with me and cut a chunk out of a tree. I sheathed my dagger and began to walk down the trail, pulling the hood of my cape over my head. The dark red color pooled around my shoulders, the fabric cutting short at my waist, the corners buttoned together at my collar bone.

For a while I found nothing, and the silence of the woods surrounding me seemed almost welcoming. My feet against the dead leaf littered path way being the only sound besides the wind pushing through the trees above me. I was hoping, expecting something big and ferocious to jump out at me at any moment, my hand twitching at my side where my dagger sat. I was nearly disappointed.

Until I caught the slightest sound, a shift somewhere behind me. My feet suddenly held their ground as I focused everything in me to sense out what was out there, eyes closing, listening. And surely I could hear the slightest hints of something breathing. It was rough, a growl like sound just thrumming in their throats.

I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth, eyes slowly opening and scanning around ahead of me. Allura was right about something being in the woods, she was right about it being dangerous. What she didn’t mention though was that it was something that was fairly similar to a human. The terror filled night time stories she had once tucked me into bed with, I would have thought it was some huge beast with multiple layers of razor sharp teeth and fur all over.

I turned around and saw nothing at first; pulling my hood further down to cover my face from whatever was watching me. “I know… that you’re out there.” I called confidently, yet the small tremor trailing up and down my arm would say otherwise. I stood in wait, as the sun slowly continued to raise, small glimpses of light escaping past leaves, a particular large gap letting sun shine through and press warm against my skin. I sucked in a breath as I heard a very tedious and very hesitant foot fall behind me.

“Your folk tell you to stay out of here.” The sound of my own language came as a surprise, and I was tempted to turn, but the gentle grunt from behind made me freeze. “They tell you that there’s a dangerous creature out here that could rip you to pieces, and yet, here you are.”

“I am not scared of you.” I stated, eyebrows knitted together, lip quivering despite my statement.

A low chuckle comes from behind, deep, and rough. I would be lying if I had said it didn’t send a shock rocketing through my very being. That chuckle sounded so… humorous and homey. “You say that without a clue of what I can actually do to you.”

“You will not hurt me.”

“How are you so sure?” At that a lump has choked itself into my throat. And I held my breath as I heard those slow foot falls through the leaves, felt the large presence behind me come closer.

“I- I just know… that you won’t”

“I’m surprised you aren’t running by now. A brave boy you are...” He was so close, his breath hitting my shoulder. I didn’t say anything in response to that, I only shifted my head to the side, eyes catching the glint of sunlight against... fangs. My heart thumbed harshly against my rib cage. But I continued to look, at the thin pressed lips that framed those teeth, to the curve of a nose. A similar grunt to before stopped me from looking further. I watched as those fangs disappeared, and all at once I turn, but there was nothing there.

“I believe that you won’t hurt me.” I call out, swiftly turning to try and figure out where he had gone. “You aren’t a beast; you’re just different, right? Different than the rest of us. So you were exiled out here, banned to face the people of the town.” I sighed out, trying to recollect those stories my father had told me. They were much different than what Allura told me. They were about a boy, a wolf boy, casted into the woods for having the features of a wild dog. He had never really believed them before, but just maybe. “You would never hurt anyone if you didn’t have too.”

“You seem so sure of yourself” I turned around quickly, stunned to how close he was. I took him all in at once, mouth opening and closing without having anything to say. He was tall, broad. His skin was pale, hidden under tight black clothing. He definitely had features of a dog, a wild one. A wolf. I noticed his black claws first that should have been fingernails, tufts of thicker hair, or well, fur at his wrists, spreading out. His ears were another, large and furry things that grew from the top of his ears, twitching with every little sound.

But his eyes were what took me off guard. There was no white, they were almost complete black besides the thick yellow ring in the center, orbs staring down intensely. Other than the wolf like features, he had a thick patch of white hair, and a scar across his nose. And where his right arm should have been was a metal prosthetic. He was no beast, but he definitely made my knees weak.

“I-I. Uh, you… you’re-“

His lips pulled into a thin line, brows furrowing. He said nothing, obviously taking his time to take me in. The way his eyes bored into mine yet looked at me all over at the same time made my cheeks burn with heat. I didn’t do anything even as he brought his arm up, brushing his thumb along my chin and jaw, claw brushing through the ends of my hair. His prosthetic arm was also brought up, holding my face still, cheek in his palm. The metal was cool to the touch, rough with use.

“You believe I won’t hurt you?” His words came out gently, breath hitting my face that’s how close he was. I slowly nodded, eyes never leaving his. His head tilted a bit to the side, lip curled upwards to reveal one large fang. I figured it was a habit though; keeping that large of teeth hidden must have been hard in itself. “No one has ever believed in me. What-” He swallowed, metal hand dropping from my cheek, both palms pressed against my shoulders. “What is your name?”

“My name? O-of course, it’s Keith. Keith K-Kogane.” I breathed out. “And yours?”

He opened his mouth to speak again, but he suddenly froze, eyes glazed over as his ears bent back. In a moment he was gone, and I was left standing there, trying to find any trace that he was there at all.

“Keith!” I cursed at the sound of Allura’s voice; I had been gone far longer than I intended to be. Quickly I tightened the hood over my head and raced back to the house. Pausing at the edge, I glanced out to the worried female standing at the patio door, arms crossed with creased brows. I could tell she still hoped I would come from around the other side of the house and explain how I had been held up by a brawl with Lance. I was tempted to wait until she went inside, but the pained look on her face was too much.

“I’m fine.” I muttered walking out and hoping it looked like I was just walking from the other side of the yard. And yet I could tell immediately it hadn’t worked, yet she seemed more relieved than angry.

“What in the world were you thinking going out in those woods Keith Kogane!” She shrieked quietly, racing towards me and hugging me tight, face burying against my shoulder. “Lance called saying you never came over, I feared the worst, you idiot!”

“I didn’t even go out that far… I…” I bit my lip attentively as I questioned whether to tell her about the lone wolf in the woods. It was probably best not to. “I thought I heard something, went around the edges to check it out and got a bit lost.”

“You could have been hurt, you know those woods are too thick and stretch for miles!” The thought of that made my chest ache, what if the wolf man ran far off and i never saw him again? I never even got his name.

“But, I wasn’t! So let’s go in and get everyone else up. I’ll make breakfast.” I offered, even though my eggs were the worst, I was one of the oldest, and it helped her heaps.

“Fine, for now. But I will be talking to you later.” She sighed, pulling me by the elbow inside, not letting go until we were in the kitchen, as if I would disappear if she let go.

The kitchen was right through the dining room from the sliding doors that lead outside, so it wasn’t long until I was welcomed by a very bright blue eyes moron.

“You invited him over?” I groaned, walking past him to the fridge.

“No, I came on my own after I called. Allura sounded worried so I wanted to be here to comfort her.” He sat at the long wooden table, elbow on table with chin in hand as he casted a very flirtatious smirk to Allura, who rolled her eyes and sat at the other end.

“I told him not to come.” Allura said; with a tone that anyone but Lance would know meant knock it off. Lance only batted his eyelashes and turned back to me as I pulled out the eggs and other necessities.

“I wouldn’t have had to come if someone didn’t go wondering off every chance he got.”

“You didn’t come for me Lance, so you can stop trying to make it seem otherwise. Plus I didn’t just go ‘wondering off’. I was checking to make sure everything was fine in the woods. Thought I heard something.” I shrugged, remembering I still had my hood on and slipped it off, putting the silky red cloth in a pile on the table.

“I do care for you Keith, whether you would like to admit it or not. And I know you care for me too. And we all know that you didn’t hear anything. And if you had, it was probably an animal.” Lance waved his hand to the side effortlessly, giving me a bored expression.

“You don’t know what I heard, so stay out of it.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Keith, Lance, quit it.” Allura snapped both hands up to silence the both of us. “Gosh, you both used to be best friends.”

“And we still are.” Lance whined effectively, I only scoffed, focusing on my eggs.

“If that’s what you want to think.”

“If that’s so, I can always go hang out with Hunk today. His partner moved away so he will need-“

I quickly turned around, waving both hands quickly. “You cannot work with Hunk! The guy can easily do this project on his own!”

“Watch the eggy spatula there.” Lance warned, grinning.

I set the spatula down. “Lance, we can be the bestest friends ever to exist as long as you work with me. We are winning this competition.”

“I suppose so, with your cooking skills any ways you’ll need my help.” He mocked, then his eyebrows furrowed and his nose tilted up. “Oh, is that burnt eggs I smell?”

Allura only chuckled and stood, leaving the kitchen to probably wake the rest up. I sneered at Lance and turned to my eggs, trying to salvage as much as I could.

“Keith.” Lance sounded more genuine when he called my name, quietly and closer by. Glancing back I realized he had stood and stepped closer. “I know you didn’t just, ‘check’ the woods. What… did you find out there?” I chewed on my lip slowly and looked to my toasted eggs.

Lance was the one friend that knew me before I was brought to Allura’s home after my father was killed. He was my best friend, and he knew more about me than I would have liked to admit. I should have known he would have figured me out.

“It isn’t as bad as everyone thinks, what’s out there.” I sighed out, giving up on my eggs. “He’s… not some beast.” Cue this moment for Lance to grab my arm roughly ad turn me around, his bright blue eyes alight with concern.

“Keith, you can’t seriously believe that that thing out there is innocent. SO what, all those men he killed and threw out into the river was just, him playing around? You need to stay out of those woods Keith!” He hissed the words under his breath, shaking me slightly.

“You don’t understand.” I grunted out, throwing his hands off of me. But he only brought them back up and grabbed me tighter.

“That thing is what killed your dad!” I winced at the words, quickly looking away. “Keith. Keith come on, you have to promise me.”

“I-” I choked up on the words. “I can’t stay away. I… I need to figure it out Lance.” I met his eyes strong. “I need to know why he killed them all. Why… my dad. I just… have to. Okay?” I pushed his arms away and stormed out of the kitchen, grabbing my hood on the way.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith get's caught sneaking back out to the forest.

They told me to stay out of the woods. They always did, of course. My dad died out there, troops left through the woods and never came out. The woods were forbidden, they were dangerous. I didn’t let that stop me before though. And I wasn’t going to let that stop me this time either. 

I let the whole situation die down for a couple weeks, wait for me to go unnoticed again, so I could leave the house without Allura possibly trudging behind me to see what I was doing. I was worried that the man I found in the woods would have been long gone by now, but I couldn’t risk letting Allura find out exactly what I had been up to. Going into the woods would seem like a play date after what she would do to me. 

It was the middle of the week, so everyone was in bed early. I had the room closest to the back of the house, my door opening into the main hallways, right across from Rolo’s room. It was easy for me to stay quiet, hand gripped around the edge of my door as I pried it open. I crept out, eyes straining to see through the dark at the other doors. I turned quickly once I made it to the main room. The moonlight flooded through the sliding glass doors past the screening of the porch, illuminating the black leather couch. I chewed on my lip slowly; thumb sliding under the strap of the satchel that held some of Hunk’s baked muffins from earlier. 

Hunk always came over to bake some snacks for us; it was easy for me to sneak a few. Who knows how long that man had been staying out there in those woods? No matter how dangerous he was, he deserved a bit of a snack. Besides, this way I could maybe pull some answers out of him, find out what he was doing out there, what he was.

I was carefully slow as I pushed open the sliding doors, holding my breath until I was on the other side and had it closed. I did the same getting off the porch and down the rotting away wooden steps until my feet landed in the overgrown grass. With one glance back and a deep breath, I swiftly turned to the woods, to the same area that lead to the trail, my feet heavy and deliberate. 

“Allura knew you would try to sneak off soon. Geez, and I thought I was really sitting out here for nothing.” I looked up into the trees where the voice had come from, narrowing my eyes until I caught the glint of a pair of large round glasses. Pidge had themselves sat up on a branch, leaned back and sending me a bewildered yet plain look. 

“Wh-what do you mean?” I put a hand on my satchel, my other hand pushing my hair back, trying to seem innocent. “I’m not… this isn’t what it looks like. I was just, coming out here for air, for a late snack. To clear, uh, my head.” 

”Yea, sure thing buddy, that’s exactly what you’re doing.” They shrug they shoulder, probably rolling their eyes under their glasses, a soft chuckle escaping them. Slowly Pidge pressed her palm on the branch and jumped down, landing easily and dusting themselves off before facing me. They were about a head shorter than me, but man that look, that crazy ‘don’t mess with me’ glare that had going, I couldn’t help but feel extremely smaller than them at this moment. “Allura didn’t want to believe you would actually try to sneak back out there, but just to be safe, she’s paying me to stay up all night to make sure.” 

”Look, pidge-“

“Uh, uh. I’m not done.” They waved their hand in my face exaggeratedly. “She told me to interrogate you if I caught you, to… find out why you wanted to go back out there. So, spill it.” Pidge crossed their arms, the obvious stance to show they were waiting for something, but I was all choked up, unable to answer. When they figured this out, I could just feel their eye roll. ”Fine. I won’t snitch on you to Allura if you tell me. And…” Their eyes looked to my satchel. 

I cocked a brow to ask if they were serious, and the dubious raise of their eyebrows in return gave me my answer. I bit my lip, looking down to my feet as I thought about my options. I could spill the beans to Pidge, give them a muffin and be gone, still risking that they go snitch on me. But I could sit there and not say a thing and then would obviously get caught. 

”I can’t believe you.” I grunted, snatching a muffin out and tossing them one. They greedily caught it, examining the beauty that is Hunk’s baking before taking a bite and looking back at me expectantly. 

I let out one long breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I… met someone in the woods.” I stated, dropping my hand and slowly meeting their gaze, mouth slowly chewing the bite of muffin. They didn’t seem impressed. So I continued. “He… has wolf ears, and… claws. And fangs! But he was gentle- he wasn’t going to hurt me. So I’m meeting him again, bringing him food… I won’t be long so just-“ I went to walk past them but they pressed a hand to my chest. 

Not so fast.” They finished the muffin in one last bite, taking their time to chew it before speaking. “So, what you’re telling me is that... you met some hybrid wolf… human thing. And now you’re going to meet him again except this time you bear him gifts.” They looked at me until I nodded slowly and then laughed, softly at first but soon they were doubling over. 

”Oh just wait until Allura finds out about this!” They laughed out. 

”No, you said you wouldn’t snitch!” I squeaked out, trying to hush them before they woke someone up.

”I won’t, but oh hohoho, she will find out Keith, she always does, and when she does! Ahahh!” They doubled over laughing again. I frowned, knowing they had a point.   
”She won’t find out. Now… I’ve got to go.” I fixed the strap of my satchel, pulling my hood up and making my way to the woods. 

”Keith-“ I look back to Pidge, who had sobered up from their laughing fit, standing up straight and only partially facing me. Eyebrows knitted slight in worry. “Don’t get into anything deeper than you can dig yourself out of.” They warned, and I nodded, waving to them before passing through the thresh hold of trees. 

I breathed out a heavy sigh. That was way, way to close. I was lucky that Pidge owed me for keeping their little secret for so long before. Letting it go, I followed a path by memory until I got to the trail, brushing my fingers over the cut out piece of a tree, deciding it was way too late to turn back then. Gripping onto my satchel strap I continued on until I got the same spot I had met him before, glancing around to try and see any sign of him.

It was a lot darker than it was during the day; the only light I had was the moon light shining through the gap in the trees, illuminating a small area where I stood. I figured he wasn’t going to just come out just because I showed up. 

”Hello?” I called out, pulling down my hood down, and taking my satchel off, holding it in both my hands as I glanced around. “It’s me, me… Keith.” Silence swarmed me, not even the wind had decided to pick up that night. “I brought some muffins. Figured there wasn’t very many places a guy... uh, you could get some freshly made sweets from.” I slowly took a sit, crossing my legs with the satchel in my lap, red cape pooling around me. I traced my thumb over the threading of my satchel. 

”I don’t think you are a dangerous guy. Honest.” I kept my gaze in my lap. “But, a lot of people entered these woods… and they never came out. One of those people, he was… my dad.” I glanced up hopefully, but there was nothing. I sighed, slowly pulling a muffin out and looking at it under the moon. Small nuts cooked into it peeked out through the golden brown outside. It smelled so good; I wanted to take a bite myself. I thought maybe the smell would draw him closer, but the minutes turned into an hour and there was nothing but the silence of a dead forest around me. 

”This was useless.” I muttered, pushing myself up from the ground. “He isn’t here…” I reminded myself as I turned to leave, bringing the muffin to my lips.

”Why did you come to see me again?” The voice came out of nowhere, as if it came from the trees itself. I turned to find him standing there though, barely visible by the moonlight. His face was screwed in confusing and curiosity. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” Those yellow orbs were looking directly into my eyes, searching for something from me.

”I… waited. Were you... here the whole time?” I asked, turning to face him, fingers thrumming over the strap of my satchel. He casted a glance down, as if thinking for something to say, an excuse. He obviously couldn’t find one by the look on his face.

”I didn’t know how… to approach you.” He muttered, and I didn’t reply, wanting to push him to say more. His eyes slowly locked with the muffin in my hand, and I smirked, lifting it up under the moonlight for him to get a better look. I could see how just the look of it strained him. He wanted it. Although when he took a step forward I pulled it back a bit. 

”I want to talk with you.” I say as sternly as I could, but my words still held the slightest hint of a tremor. He froze, locking eyes with me again. 

”Why?” He asked, glancing back to the muffin, tongue dragging over his bottom lip slowly. I frowned slightly, twisting the muffin in my hand.

”How… old are you?” I ask, not meeting his gaze. 

”I don’t know.” His voice held hesitance, I could tell he was being careful with his words. Although the creases in my forehead were growing, I kept my head tilted down. 

”Why are you out here?”

”I wouldn’t know.” 

I sighed, looking up with a deep frown. “What do you know?” At this question, he was taken aback, eyes widening the slightest bit before narrowing again with though, head turning away. “I have all night.” I said, stepping forward and taking a seat, holding the muffin out to him. He watched me as he took a seat in front of me, looking back and forth from me to the muffin. He was a good foot away, definitely keeping some distance, unlike last time.

”My name is Takashi Shirogane.” He says quietly, reaching over and wrapping a hand around both mine and the muffin, his thumb dragging over my wrist as he easily pried the muffin from y hand, sighing as he lifted it to his nose. “I prefer red meats over muffins but it’s a lot better than the leaves and twigs I’ve been eating.” I couldn’t help but smirk at his humor. 

”Okay, Shiro.” I put my hands over my knees, tilting my head to the side to get a better look at him as he stuffed the muffin in his mouth whole. “What exactly… are you?” At this his chewing slows and he forces himself to swallow the muffin, obviously a bit taken aback by the name I decided to call him.  
”I don’t know.” He sighs, his head tilting back to look up out of the woods. “I wasn’t like this when I was born. I was a human boy, but-“ His eyes seem to close shut, brows furrowing, struggling to remember or find a reasonable answer. All at once he growled out something like ‘forget it’ and got up faster than I could see, but he stayed around, now leaning against a tree to my side. 

”Did someone do this to you?” I asked, but once that question was out, my mind was on hard drive. “Woah, would that mean this could happen to any one! They could have an army of you! Are you like some default? Would I-” Before I could squeak another question out, he was soon kneeling over me with a hand hard over my mouth, his thumb claw scratching at my jaw slightly. I closed my eyes tightly, heart pounding at the sudden advancement. 

”Be careful.” He sighed out, head bowed beside mine, breath hitting my ear. “You can not know the things I know. Just, be happy with what you do know.” He growled, slowly letting me go and backing up out of the moonlight again. My eyes followed him, my face probably as red as my hood, jaw aching slightly. He looked as if he belonged in the dark, with his black clothing covering a lot more of him up now. 

”Where do you live?” I chanced asking, starting to stand from where I was sitting. As I got up, I pulled out the last muffin and tossed it to him. He caught it easily with one hand, looking at me curiously. 

”Here.” He said, motioning around him. I cocked a brow at that, knowing sarcasm when I heard it. I could swear I saw the slightest ghost of a smirk before he spoke again. “Somewhere. It isn’t a big deal.”

”So, what, you sleep outside? On a pile of branches and leaves?”

”No. I have a home. It’s just, not what you would probably call a ‘home’.” He says, this time taking his time to eat his muffin.

”Why not? Is it a secret lab? Or some guys house? Are you like a lap dog?” At this his eyes locked onto me daringly, obviously annoyed with my question. 

”I’m no one lap dog.” He spat. “I live on my own.”

”Could you take me?” I asked, hopeful. Shiro studied me slowly. 

”No.” And with that, he disappeared into the dark, taking the muffin with him. I groaned defiantly, letting out a long sigh. Standing there, I slowly reached up to the numb feeling of his hand around my mouth, a slight cut burning my skin right beneath my jaw. He was so urgent about getting me to stop talking, to stop asking questions. He was there so fast, so close that I could smell the scent of pine and wet wood and something more, home feeling. I should have been terrified, but I was far from that. I was... well, I was excited.

I pulled my hood back up and made my way back home. Pidge was gone when I passed through, and the slightest hints of the sun were ghosting above the trees when I glanced back. I smiled to myself and made my way inside just as quiet as I was going out, closing my door shut. I dropped my satchel on the ground by my desk and fell onto my bed, wrapping my arms around my pillow, sleep forcefully taking me.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance have another fight.

Lance and I have been friends since we were little. We went to the same school, he was the one with the huge family and all the friends, while I was just the kid that sat alone and had disciplinary issues. I to this day have no idea why he ever started talking to me, but he did, and I could never not get annoyed by those eyes of his and that quirky snarky mouth of his. 

He was there though, while I was going through everything. He was there when my father died, while I was going from house to house and no one wanted me. He stuck through with me all this time. And I have no fucking clue why. Hunk and Pidge were never my fans, I still think the only reason they tolerate me is because of me and Lance’s friendship. I think sometimes that they’re even a bit jealous of me. 

Lance was always the one sneaking out to rescue me out of tense situations. I don’t know how but he just knew when I needed him. Like the one time a man I stayed with tried to lock me in my own room, Lance was crawling through the window to take me to his place. Or when I was the youngest boy at a home, and all the others were picking on me, especially the one night they stuck my hand in warm water and had me piss my own bed. Lance didn’t even care, he barged in –rather politely- and took me away, never again to see that home. 

I thought I would have to be humiliated, with my piss stained jeans and red puffy face. I was a mess, but he didn’t seem to care. The entire walk to his house, he carried my bag and held my hand; talking about whatever nonsense he was getting into. 

I have no idea what changed over the years, or why we’re not as innocent any more. Holding hands is a crime, but we still do it of course, or well, did. I used to sneak out to see him when I had first moved in with Allura. Nothing was going wrong, and that fact scared me. I didn’t want to belong anywhere. So I would run to his place, throwing pebbles at his window and praying none of his brothers woke up. He would meet me at the back door and we would hide out in his tree house. He would hold my hand, his thumb every once in a while brushing over the knuckles. It just made me feel safe, good. Good enough to drag myself back to Allura’s once the sun was peeking up past the forest trees. He offered to walk me back, but it was obvious he was exhausted. 

It seemed for a while we were slowly drifting away, I didn’t need him to hold my hand any more, or save my ass from situations. He stopped coming over as much, which I’m sure was Allura’s doing. She hated when he would come over out of the blue. And I stopped sneaking out to see him. Lately though we got paired up on our senior project for high school. I think its Lance’s last effort to spark up what friendship we used to have, but he won’t admit to it. 

I now had to go to his house every afternoon, we were still in the brainstorming aspects of the project, and we didn’t do much talking. We mostly played video games and thought out loud about possible things. He brought up space ships and giant robots while I brought up invisible mazes and swords that act on blood and DNA. All ideas were pretty futuristic and never even capable of being made. 

“We’re toast.” Lance muttered, tossing his controller down after pausing the racing game he was obviously winning at, that I never won at. “We have zero ideas, and it’s already a few months into the school year!” I sighed, putting my controller gently down besides his and leaned back in the bean bag. 

“If we took a break and actually thought about something we could do instead of playing games, maybe we would come up with something.” I sighed out, and he gave me this I-can’t-believe-you look. I rolled my eyes, turning my head away to look down at the carpet, socked feet sliding through the pits of wool. 

“Keith, video games are what make my head work harder.” He protests, hand motioning to the television. 

“Yea, and that’s why we have thought about, well, nothing?” I ask accusingly. He exaggeratedly gasps and presses a hand to his chest, acting more than just a little offended at my comment. “Hunk and Shay are already building up their little project, and Pidge- who I should remind you are working by themselves- is already done with theirs.”

“They’re just super smart and have an advantage!”

“So what, you’re saying you should have picked a different partner?” I ask, not looking up to meet his gaze. I didn’t have to look at him to know he was working on trying to find an excuse. “Save it Lance, I know I’m not the smartest kid at school, I need tutors for every one of my classes to just get C’s. You could have worked with Judas just like every other time.”

“Keith, I didn’t mean it like that.” He reached for my arm but I pushed his hand away, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. He quickly took his hand back, and I kind of regretted the way I snapped with the way he looked so hurt. I looked away again and sunk into the bean bag.

“Something’s up Keith, I can tell.” He says, sitting back in his own bean bag to give me space, I only avoided his gaze. “Ever since you got in trouble with Allura for going into the forest- Keith did she-“

“Allura didn’t do anything and don’t you dare try to say she did.” I snap. 

“Fine, fine. If nothing happened with Allura, what did happen? You told me you wouldn’t go back out in the forest.” He warned, I frowned and glanced at him.   
“I never said I wouldn’t go back out there-“

“So that’s what happened, you went back into the forest.”

“I never said that. Damn it, Lance, just listen.” I sigh, sitting up and leaning over my knees. “There’s this man out there, a wolf man. If he wanted to, he could have killed me, but he didn’t. And that has to stand for something.” I looked up at him, but his expression was something I couldn’t make out. So I just went on, wanting to relax him. “He might not be the thing that’s killing everyone, but he might have the information of whatever is.”

“And you’re going to risk yourself for that? The government has an army for that kind of thing, you know.”

“Any army, or any kind of armed man is just going to frighten him.”

“Oh so the big bad wolf is just some scared pup?” He scoffed. “You sound ridiculous Keith! He is just playing games with you. He could be playing at a bigger game, one to draw you back in to do worse things than simply gut you.”

“Lance-“

“He could steal you when your guard is completely down, lock you away and use you as he pleases. You finally got settled in Keith, why are you trying to fuck it up now?” He stood up, beginning to pace around his room. 

“He isn’t-“

“I bet he’s all handsome and hot, being extra careful not to harm you, to win your trust. Bet he isn’t going to be all soft when you’re chained up and he’s tearing your clothes off-“

“S-stop it!” I push myself up off the ground, and jump for him, tackling him to the ground. He grunted and shoved me off, rolling over and sitting on my thighs, pinning my arms down. 

“I’m not going to let you get yourself hurt, Keith.” I struggled against his weight, cursing at how much the guy ate. “He could do anything to you, and I wouldn’t be able to save you this time.”

“I don’t need you to save me! I’m not a kid anymore!”

“Then stop acting like one!” With that his eyes seemed to draw into a peculiar point on my face, he reached over with one hand, running his thumb over a cut on my jaw. I winced, closing my eyes tight. “Let me take a guess and say this isn’t from some stray cat you tried to pet?” He asked, I didn’t bother to answer, teeth embedded into my lip. He groaned and pushed off of me, helping me up, but only to turn away from me, leaning forward against his desk. 

“Get out. And I swear to everything, if you go back in that forest-” He didn’t finish speaking, only looking over his shoulder at me, eyes holding so much emotion I couldn’t just pick out one. But the command was obvious, and I was quick to fly out of his bedroom, only waving to his mom in the kitchen as I flew out the door. And I didn’t stop running until I got back home. I slammed the front door, all the people at the dining table turning to look at me, Allura standing up.

“Keith, what happened?” 

“Nothing.” I rushed out, leaving the room before she could pester me about it. I closed my door and locked it, setting my stuff down and dropping myself in the chair in front of my desk, closing my eyes and leaning my head back as I tried to tell myself everything was fine. Lance and I often got in fights like that. He got mad, and then I got mad and we would wrestle until one of us stormed off. 

But something about the way he looked at me, his eyes held so much pain. I wanted to know why, but he obviously didn’t want me around. And that alone made my chest feel heavier. I heaved out a long breath, it breaking at the end as tears brimmed my eyes, threatening to fall. 

Quickly I sat up and rubbed at my eyes, pushing my hair back as I gazed at my desk. An before they could glance over at the picture of me and Lance when I had first moved into this home, I pushed the picture down, focusing my eyes out my window, out into the back yard, into the forest. It seemed to calm me enough, the idea of Shiro taking my mind off of how upset Lance was. 

And as if to comply with my thoughts, I could have sworn I saw something just past a tree. I was sure I had just thought it up, but once again I saw a quick blur, go in and out of sight. I narrowed my eyes, leaning across my desk to get a better look. Soon enough the blur stopped in my line of sight and let me focus. Shiro stood there, eyes scanning the house, looking from window to window until his eyes landed on mine. One of his hands spread out over the bark of a tree, the other, his metal arm, lifted and with a quirk of his finger I could already tell what he wanted, although I didn’t know why. 

I had nearly unlocked my window when a knock came from my door and I quickly sat in my chair and turned around. “Keith?” Allura sounded on the other side, worried. I glanced back but Shiro was gone. So without any other choice, I got up and slowly unlocked the door, but leaned on the door frame so she wouldn’t come in.   
“Yea?” I asked. She held a plate of food in her hand, and my stomach growled at the sight of mashed potatoes, carrots and steak. 

“Did something… happen at Lance’s house?” She asks, handing me the plate. I shake my head. 

“No, nothing. We just, got in another fight.” I say, waving it off. She sighed. 

“I remember when the both of you couldn’t be separated; you always asked for him, he was always coming over.” She had on arm wrapped around her stomach, the other resting on it with a fist holding up her cheek. 

“Things… change. I’m not as weak and helpless as I was when Lance and I first started hanging out. He acts as if I need him to watch me.”

“He just cares about you, Keith. You know that. We all do. But he’s the only one that knows everything you’ve been through.” She shakes her head. “Maybe once the pressure of school lifts, this summer you guys could hang out more.”

“Maybe…” I hummed, trying to close the door. She quickly stopped it with her hand, and I panicked for a moment. 

“Keith?”

“Yea?”

“You have dishes tonight.” And with that she let me be. I sighed deeply and leaned back against my door, looking down at my plate. The steak gave me a wicked idea though. 

I set the plate down as I grabbed my hood, pulling on my satchel and fixing my hair. I propped open my window, as quietly as I could, and slipped out with practice from when I had first moved in. Once on the outside, I took the plate and raced to the forest, glancing around for Pidge. They didn’t seem to be there. 

I hesitated at the edge, thinking about what Lance had said, about the look in his eyes. But a nearby whistle drew my attention away and I all but forgot about Lance. I stepped through and made my way to the trail, pausing by the tree with the cut mark. 

“Shiro?” I called. He appeared to my side, keeping his distance while also gazing at my plate. “Uh, uh. What do you need me for?” I asked, holding the plate out of his view. He looked at me with confusion before he seemed to snap out of it. 

“I’ve been waiting for you-“

“Waiting? Why?” I begin walking, going to our regular spot. 

“You were in distress.” He says from behind me, his words sounding careful. 

“H-how would you know that?” I mumbled, more to myself, but he answered, for once knowing the answer. 

“I know your scent, even from miles away; I can tell what you’re feeling.” He said, I could feel his gaze over my shoulder. 

“Just by knowing what I smell like?” I raised a brow and turned to him, stopping. 

He scratched his neck. “It’s a bit more difficult than that. But, you seemed… angry, and upset. You were crying-“

“I was not crying. I just, got something in my eye.” Subconsciously I reached up and rubbed at my eyes. He seemed to go with it, but I knew he didn’t believe me. 

“What happened?” I looked at him in disbelief, more because it was as if he genuinely cared why I was possibly crying. I didn’t answer though. He took the hint and cleared his throat. “I shared my information, it’s only fair-“

“Ha, okay, so you’re playing that game too now huh?” His lips pressed in a firm line, head faintly nodding. I scoff. “Fine.” I mumble, sitting down. “I have this friend. He and I have known each other for years, but lately-“

“You two have been falling out?”

I quirk a brow up at him and nod. “Yea, since high school started, we haven’t exactly been on the greatest terms. And today we, well, got in a fight.”

“What about?”

“No, it’s your turn now. When can I come to your home?” I ask, handing him the plate of food as he sat down. 

“When I know it will be safe.” He says, setting the plate down as he took the steak with two hands and dug in. I looked away as he ate, not wanting to stare. When he was done, which was in record time, I turned back to him. “Your friend, I can smell him on you. He smells like fresh air and salt water. Like a beach…” He hums, and I nod. 

“That’s Lance.” I shake my head. “And what do you mean when you know it will be safe?”

“When I know no one is watching-“

“Someone’s watching us-“ I go to stand up, but he grabs my wrist, holding me down. I meet his eyes. 

“No one is watching us. I just mean that… when no one is watching you. Right now a lot of people are keeping watch over you. You aren’t being careful with the times you come to see me. You aren’t even getting good sleep.”

“What-“

“The best time to see me is early, three hours before the sun rises. Like the other night. But do sleep before you come.” He pushed the empty plate to me, but I discard it. 

“I can do that. And if I do, how long until I can?”

“A couple weeks.” I couldn’t help the grin that stretched over my face, and he almost mirrored the grin back. 

“You should get back.” He says, standing up. I frown and stand up too, pulling down my hood. 

“Why so soon?” I ask, stepping closer, he seems to tense when I get closer, eyes narrowing.

“They will worry about you, the other people in that house that live with you. They all seem to grow with worry when you disappear like this. But they haven’t seemed to notice yet.” 

“So what, everyone I’ve ever been around, you can just, smell what they’re feeling?”

“Yes.”

“What about Lance? How is he feeling?” I ask, searching his eyes, His nose twitches the slightest. 

“Your friend, he… he is terrified, worried, upset. Whatever you two fought about, it took its toll on him.” I drop my head, sighing.

“He should be mad at me.” I mumbled. Hand pressed against my cheeks, the metal of his right hand cooling on my skin. I relaxed in the touch, leaning in as he pulled me close, his nose burying into my hair. 

“But, you seem happy.” He says, and I know it was a smirk I felt against my forehead. I push away, face red. 

“I’m not just happy.” I accuse him, crossing my arms. He seemed to almost laugh, but his eyes focused out and his ears poised back. 

“You should go, she’s knocking on your door.” He says. Panic floods me and I curse under my breath, I go to run past Shiro, but he grabs my arm. 

“Tonight, come back.” He says, and I nod a promise, giving him a small smile before I ease from his grasp and run off. I would definitely come back for him.

**Author's Note:**

> wattpad(s) @callioporstrider / @aidenbleh  
> tumblr @callioporstrider


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